News Briefs

The Gresham-Barlow School District Board appointed Mayra Gómez to fill a vacancy on the school board.

Gomez has deep ties to education in East Multnomah County. She is the director of college and career readiness for the West Linn-Wilsonville School District. But prior to that, she served as the federal programs supervisor for the Centennial School District. She was an assistant principal at Reynolds High School before working in Centennial.

She taught high school social studies and English as a second language at Gresham High School.

Gomez fills an opening when school board member Sharon Garner resigned because she is moving out of the district. Gómez will serve in the position until June 30, 2019. In May 2019, an election will be held for the remainder of the term, which will end June 30, 2021.

Food cart pod to open in Gresham

Gresham's first-ever large food cart plaza will open its doors later this month, bringing a diverse array of food options to the community.

Gresham Food Carts, located at 2280 N.W. Burnside Road, is focused on providing a great family experience by bringing the best food carts to one location.

There will be a variety of offerings from the eventual 20 vendors, including teriyaki, Hawaiian, Mediterranean, Philly cheesesteaks, Mexican and much more.

The plaza has seating, both open and covered, music and a children's area. It is only a short five-minute walk from the Ruby Junction MAX train stop, and there is a 50-car parking lot. The plan is to celebrate a soft opening in a couple of weeks.

For more information, visit https://greshamfoodcarts.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Support available for Gorge businesses affected by fire

Any businesses in the Columbia River Gorge or adjacent county that suffered economic losses after the Eagle Creek Fire have one month left to apply for financial support.

The Federal Small Business Administration is offering long-term, low-interest loans to help entrepreneurs recover from lost revenue during last fall's devastating blaze. Qualifying businesses must be in Hood River, Multnomah, Clackamas, Wasco, Gilliam, Jefferson, Marion, Sherman or Wheeler counties in Oregon; and Klickitat and Skamania counties in Washington.

Applications will be accepted through July 31.

The loans are up to 30 years, at rates between 2.5 and 3.3 percent.

Apply online, receive additional disaster assistance and download applications at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. You can also call SBA's Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..